Love, Honor and Iroh
by skittlesandcombos
Summary: I was in Ba Sing Se when the Fire Nation took over. Now I work as a nurse. For them. The same people who took me away from my family. The only friend I have is the one who is responsible for all of this. SongxZuko From Song's POV
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar :The last Airbender. Don't rub it in.**

I opened my eyes, and took in my surroundings. I saw that I was in a cave, with crystals everywhere. It was damp and mossy where I was laying, and there was a horrible smell of something rotting. My head hurt, and my tongue swollen. What happened? I tried to remember but just to think, it hurt. My body was covered in bruises and cuts. It was nothing serious, but it hurt like crazy. Taking a deep breath, I heaved my aching body up, using my elbows. I then closed my eyes and searched my mind for an explanation. My mind produced a picture of the fan I was looking at before…. Before what? Ending up here? I didn't even know where "Here" is. Giving another deep sigh, I opened my eyes.

"Here, you must be thirsty." An unknown voice said to me.

I whipped my head around to see who was there. Big mistake. My whole body hurt from the small movement.

There next to me was an old man. He had a smallish white beard, he was round, and looked like he had felt a lot of pain and disappointment in his long life. His eyes were kind as he held a cracked mug up to my lips. I didn't realize that my hands and feet were bound until just now. The liquid inside the mug was brown, and it didn't look like any tea. Taking a tentative sip, I practically choked on it. Definitely not a tea. The man chuckled to himself as if it was a joke.

"The guards here are not very kind to prisoners."

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Somewhere in my mind, a voice sounded the same. Thinking back, I remembered a voice like this one. It had said something about a tea.

"Are you Jr.'s uncle?" I asked carefully.

He smiled sadly and said, "Sorry, but no. I was once, but not anymore. My real name is Iroh."

"Oh." I said, confused as ever.

"I was traveling with the Fire Lord's banished son, and we had to assume different identities. I'm sorry I had to lie to you and your wonderful mother, you both were very kind to my nephew and I."

"So, Jr. is… the Fire Lord's son?" I asked.

My mind was trying to understand what he was saying. Jr.? His scar, talking to him, nothing seemed to make sense.

"Yes. His real name is Zuko." He said, staring into a group of crystals on the far side of the cave.

This horrible feeling suddenly hit me. My stomach churned and a bitter taste entered my mouth. I finally got it. Realization hit me hard. At first, I wanted to get angry, I wanted to curse, hit, and do anything to make me not feel like such a fool. I should have known, why was I so stupid? I had told him….. stuff, he was just so easy to talk to. _He was also in a lot of pain. _I reminded myself.

My head started hurting again. I went to rub my forehead, when I realized that my hands were still tied up.

"Please, do you think you could untie me?" I asked, a little embarrassed.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I tried to untie them when you were unconscious, but they wouldn't budge. The only way I could get them off is to burn through them. I didn't want to hurt you."

I nodded in understanding. Back home, I wouldn't treat a wound with a painful procedure without the patience permission.

"I don't mind, I've been burned before."

"Okay. Hold you wrists as far apart as possible."

I did what he told me to, and waited. I waited to feel my hands to be burned, but it didn't happen. All of a sudden, my hands were free. The singed rope fell to the ground as I rubbed my sore wrists.

"I'll get your feet too." He said while moving himself in front of me.

I held my feet as far apart as the ropes would let me. He laid my feet on his lap and pointed his forefinger at the ropes. I watched in amazement as a tiny flame cut through the thick binding.

"Thank you." I said, feeling relieved.

"You are welcome. If I may, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything." I answered earnestly.

"You didn't know that Jr. was Zuko, but there are posters for his head everywhere, why didn't you know?"

"To be completely honest, after you left, my mother told me that we had to move. We couldn't pay to live there anymore. So, we traveled to Ba Sing Se, looking for a home. While we were on the ferry, my mother met a nice man. He was a general, a high ranking man. When my mother introduced me to him, he seemed like a king. His air, the way he kissed the palm of my hand. It doesn't matter though. She had told him of our situation and he offered her a trade. A home for me."

I took a deep breath before continuing. I had formed a lump in my throat. It was hard and I couldn't swallow it.

"My mother refused, she said that she would rather live on the streets. But I, I agreed to the trade. I couldn't let my mother sleep on the street. My mother was angry at me, well at first. But then she was all happy that I had finally found a husband. He was very nice after all, and he will provide a home."

"But none of that matters to you, does it Song?" Iroh said quietly.

I shook my head. "No. I guess what hurts the most is that, it was my choice. I'm sure my mother could have found a place for us, but I wasn't willing to take that chance. Anyway, so like I was saying, I agreed. The next day we were married right there on the ship. When we got to Ba Sing Se, he took us to the upper ring. He had a beautiful home. There was even a little garden home, for my mother. I was dressed to the finest, dined with people of importance. Lived in one of the most amazing homes. We went to parties almost every night. He showed everyone his "beautiful wife". That's all I was. An accessory. I still did what ever he asked of me. He was kind to me after all. I wanted to please him. I wanted him to think of how good I took care of the house, or how nice I was. Just something, something to make him think, "Wow, I have a wonderful wife"."

"You wanted his love." Iroh said to no one in particular.

The way he said that made me feel uneasy, so I decided to change the subject.

"I didn't make any friends, all of the other women were horrid. They just used their husbands for there money. They constantly bickered over who was richest, or who was prettiest. None of it made sense. They all said that I was different. Apparently, that's a bad thing. My reputation was no longer a nice one. One day, when my husband came home from a "meeting", he yelled at me. He was obviously drunk, so I said nothing to anger him. He said that I nothing, worthless. I was hurt, but not badly. It would have been so much worse if it was someone I cared for, someone I loved. It was then that I realized, I was trapped. I couldn't ever fall in love with someone. I knew, for a fact that I did not love my husband. The one thing I wanted, I could never get. I wanted to be loved, and to love."

AN: I hoped you liked it, the story jumped out at me when I was watching "The Guru". I'll try and update asap, but this was a spur of the moment thing. It wasn't planned.


	2. Chapter 2

I sat there, not saying anymore. I had already made a fool of myself by pouring my guts out to Iroh. Taking the burnt rope in my hand I started picking at a loose thread.

"You know, what you feel isn't unnatural." He said as he stood up.

"I know." I said standing up too.

"Everyone wants to be loved, even if they don't show it."

I nodded in response.

"Come and walk with me. It's about lunch time, and the guards leave the food by a rock over here."

So we walked to the other side of the cave not saying anymore. Looking around, I saw parts of the walls blown off. There were scorch marks by some of the holes in the crystals. There were signs of a great fight. From the looks of it, there were firebenders and earthbenders.

"Here we are. We will have to wait until they bring the food." He said.

All of a sudden, there was a loud grinding noise. Earthbending. I thought to myself. A large cloud of dust filled my vision. I could here voices before could see anything.

"What did you do? I told you that no one is to be down here except him!" One voice said.

I felt someone grab my arm and cover my mouth.

"Don't be afraid Song, it's me Iroh. Quick! Hide!" He whispered into my ear.

He then pulled me behind a rock and told me not to come out.

"Please, have mercy, there is no more room in the dungeon. It's only a little girl." Another voice said.

"I don't care if it is a baby, no one is to be down here except him." The first voice said.

"Hello nephew. Might I ask if I can have some ginseng tea today? The stuff your guards bring is horrible. You might be able to teach them how to make it a little better." Iroh said.

Zuko! I thought to myself. He sounded a lot different then when we last talked.

"Where is she?" He demanded.

"Who?" Iroh said nonchalant.

From my hiding place I saw a flash of light. "THE GIRL!" Zuko roared.

"I do not think you are being very patient. You need to relax."

"Give her to me now!"

"Zuko, this is not the time to be rude, we have a guest right now. I think you may have frightened her."

Zuko turned to the quivering guard. "Find her. I want her out of here now."

The man next to him nodded and sprinted to the nearest rock. My heart was beating so hard, I thought that they could probably hear me. I looked around for a rock, anything to defend myself with. The only thing I was able to find was a handful of dust. This will have to do. I thought grimily. My breathing became heavy as the guard became closer. I saw his shadow cross in front of me, I could here him looking on the other side of the rock. It seemed like forever before he would look on my side. He took a step towards me and I took my chance. I jumped up and threw the handful of dust into his eyes. He coughed and sputtered then made an angry noise. Without missing a beat, I swung my leg as hard as I could, hitting him between the legs. He made a painful grunt and fell to the ground holding himself. I ran as fast as my unused legs would take me towards the exit. I was almost there when I ran right into someone's arms. Damn. He had a vice like grip, and wasn't letting go. He lifted me about a foot off the ground. I kicked what ever I could to get away, but he wasn't budging. There was dust still in the air, and I couldn't see, but I knew that I had ran right into Prince Zuko's arms.

"Please, let me go. I didn't do anything." I pleaded.

The dust began to clear, and I saw the guard standing up and Iroh looking sad. I kept my head down, trying to conceal my identity for as long as possible.

"Nephew, do not hurt her. She has been through enough." Iroh said in a hard voice.

Still holding me he said, "I will do what is necessary to keep her in line."

I was ready to cry. A thousand forms of torture ran through my mind. I started shaking uncontrollably. Despite my body, my voice was strong.

"If you won't put me down, at least loosen your grip. I will have bruises in the morning."

The guard was standing behind me as he said, "She'll have more then bruises to worry about in the morning."

My head was still down when I heard Iroh say, "You will not harm her. Have you forgotten your honor."

Honor? How could Iroh think of something some thing like honor at a time like this? Without thinking, I lifted me head and looked straight at Iroh. I heard a sharp intake of breath beside me, and I looked at my captive. His hair had grown out, and he must have gotten taller. The look on his face was of surprise, embarrassment, and wonder. His eyes bore into me.

"Song?" His voice was gentle and quiet, for my ears only.

I quickly looked down, staring at my grubby shoes, inches off the ground. The way he said my name did something to me. I felt weak and just wanted to sleep. I was tired, and my body ached. I could still feel his eyes on me, making me feel incredibility uncomfortable. I heard Iroh clear his throat and shift his weight to the other foot. Zuko straightened up lightning fast.

"Yes, honor. You are right Uncle. We will not harm her."

The guard was not happy. "WHAT?!? Do you know what that little-"

Zuko turned to the guard and said, "Honor comes before your personal revenge."

The guard looked as though Zuko had slapped him. I looked at Zuko, not knowing what he was thinking.

"Sir, if I may, she fought against your soldier. That would be considered insubordination. She must be punished as an example." The guard said carefully.

"Kani, did she or did she not see your uniform?" Iroh put in, saving Zuko from having to say anything.

"I don't know, the dust-"

"Exactly. She couldn't see your uniform. So she couldn't have possibly known you work for the Fire Nation. Therefore, she doesn't need to be punished." He concluded.

I was getting tired of waiting for them to decide my fate.

"Excuse me?" I said, more than a little irritated. "If you wouldn't mind, could you please put me down?"

Zuko dropped me instantly. I wasn't ready for it, so I hit the ground with an audible thump. I landed right on my tailbone. _Great, more bruises._

**AN: I hoped you enjoyed it! Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Sorry." Zuko mumbled. He reached down to help me up, but I slapped his hand away.

"I don't need your help." I said trying to sound dignified.

Picking myself up, my goal was to at least look like a lady. I looked at my torn dress and dirty hands. A lady. Right.

"Sir, since we won't punish her, where will she go?" Kani said.

Zuko looked at me and squinted his eyes.

"She will work with the doctors and other nurses. Take her to the infirmary."

The guard roughly took my arm and led me up the tunnel into daylight. He mumbled profanities under his breath as he took me through the Earth King's palace. We walked through the giant double doors and all the way to the back. He then led me to a covered terrace outside in one of the gardens. There was rows of cots, all with white sheets. There were a few people inside, but not a lot. We walked up to a doctor and Kani leaned in to whisper something to him. The doctor nodded and Kani left. The doctor then turned and addressed me.

"This is the infirmary. You can not escape. So don't try."

He turned and started walking down the rows of cots. I had to practically run to keep up.

"I am doctor Guan."

_Isn't that a type of bird?_ The thought came unbidden. I then realized that he was still talking.

"- very good nurses and doctors. Because you know nothing, you will be cleaning. It is very important to keep the infirmary clean." He stopped and took a look at me before continuing. "You should wash up. I don't want you to infect anyone. There is a bath house on the other side of the garden. There will be a uniform waiting for you when your finished."

Normally I would have been hurt by his rude remark, but in this case, I happily obliged. A quick nod was my response. As I entered the bath house, steam filled my vision. My bath was lushes, filled to the brim with bubbles. When I got out, I did the best I could to brush the knots out of my hair. Taking a scrap of cloth I had saved from my old dress, I pulled my hair up in a bun. Like the doctor said, there was a clean uniform waiting for me when I came out. I dressed and walked back to the infirmary. It was dark outside, but there were torches lit along the path. As I entered the infirmary, the sound of someone singing brought my attention . I looked around and saw a group of people sitting by the fire. They all were laughing and singing, obviously intoxicated. A young man stood up and started dancing around the fire. _Fool._ He then lost his balance and fell with one hand in the fire. A terrible cry rose through the air. I ran to the fire pit and saw the young man clutching his hand. The other men and women started laughing.

"Come with me." I said and grabbed his other hand to help him up.

I led him inside and told him to sit on a cot. I ran to the bath house, grabbed a towel and ran cold water underneath it. I then ran as fast as I could back to the infirmary. He grunted as I put the cold towel on his burned hand.

"Hold this on your burn until it stops burning, or for ten minuets. Whatever comes first." I instructed.

I then ran outside and looked for an aloe plant. I had seen one on my way in, but I couldn't find it in the dark. I had to trip over it in order for me to find it. I grabbed a big leaf and broke it off half way. Tipping the broken end up, I ran back inside. He somehow had gotten butter and had put it on his burn.

"No. Wipe the butter off. It keeps the burn inside the tissue, not that you would know." I said.

He did as he was told.

"Now hold your hand out." I ordered.

I then took the aloe in my hand and squeezed the goop from inside. Taking his hand, I gently rubbed the aloe into his burn.

"This is only for temporary relief. It will fade and when it does, leave it alone. Come back here and I'll change the bandage. Don't do anything to it for an entire day. You should be fine after that."

I then wrapped his hand in a clean gauze. As soon as I was finished telling him what to do, Doctor Guan came in.

"What is going on here?!?" He exclaimed.

"I was just-"

"She was taking care of my burn, father." The young man said holding up his bandaged hand.

"Well, well, well. It looks like we have a nurse." Doctor Guan said while crossing his arms.

"I've only been trained in basic medicine." I said holding up my hands in defense.

"I now know why the butter doesn't work." The young man said.

"You have been using butter to treat burns?" I asked the Doctor.

"That is beside the point. Since our night nurse is injured," Guan shot his son a nasty look, " You can take his place, Miss. Song."

"I-"

"You will do it. No argument." The Doctor said.

I nodded in consent.

AN: Yea!! I'm so happy, don't ask me why. Okay, okay I know that it's not the best and the butter was kinda random, but it was needed. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

All night. I had to stay up all night. I was already tired, but all night? It was a simple job, I guess. If someone wakes up and needs water or something, I get it for them. Someone might come from the palace, but it was unlikely. To entertain myself, I thought of what had happened. My mind won't let me remember details, but they are not that important. So far I had figured out that the Fire Nation had somehow gotten inside the walls, and had ordered a invasion. Some of the men who are true to the Earth King fought. I don't know what happened, but none of the men in the infirmary are wearing the Earth King's insignia. What has become of my husband? He is a general, so they must have taken him too. Apparently, since I was in the upper ring when it happened, all the women and children were taken. They were all put in the dungeons in order "persuade" some of the men to swear their loyalty to the Fire Lord. All the women, except me. I had to do something to help all these people. From what I heard, the lower ring doesn't even know that the Fire Nation has taken over Ba Sing Se.

The sound of foot steps broke through my thoughts. I bolted out of my seat.

"Hello?" I said.

I saw a shape walk towards me.

"Song?" A male voice said.

When he came within the range of the torch, I saw that it was Zuko.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, holding his head.

"You sent me here."

"Well, I know that, I mean, what are you doing here at night?"

"I'm the night nurse."

"And your alone."

"Yes. I can take care of myself you know."

"They shouldn't be leaving you here by yourself."

"What are you doing here?" I asked, annoyed.

Getting the hint, he said, "I have the worst headache. I wanted to kill myself a little while ago. I have had it almost every day now for the past two weeks. Is there something you can give me."

"No. I have nothing to give you except some hints. Sit down."

He sat. I was surprised at how obedient he was.

"Do you work out a lot?" I asked.

"What?!?" He shouted.

"Shhh! You'll wake up the entire infirmary!"

"Sorry."

"Will you please answer the question? I need to know in order to tell you what to do to get rid of your headache."

"Oh. Okay. I work out everyday."

"Okay, do you have a lot of stress?"

"Ya, a lot. I started having these dreams when I had a fever…. Well, that's when it started. I felt better when my fever went down, so I didn't think anything of it. Then when my sister came, the headaches came back."

"What you need to do is relax. Here. Take this pen and put it between your teeth, but don't bite down. Your body has to relax in order to fulfill the task."

He frowned, then took the pen. He put it in between his teeth and tried to relax. I could see that he was having trouble, and that he was just getting angry so I tried a different tactic.

"Did you try rubbing your temples?"

He lifted an eyebrow before answering. "Do you think I'm stupid? Wait, don't answer that."

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking. Here, tell me which one feels better."

I lifted my arm and pressed the cool back side of my hand to his warm forehead. I left it there for about five seconds before turning my hand over, pressing my warm palm to his brow.

"The second. My head feels better when it's warm."

"I should have known." I said without thinking.

I quickly looked up to see him blushing.

"I- I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking-" I said, blushing myself.

"It's okay, I deserve it from you." He said quietly.

"No! I didn't mean that!" I said.

What am I saying? He took your ostrich-horse, ordered you and all the women and children in the upper ring in to dungeons, separated you and your mother, and I'm sure the list continues. But this is different.

"What were you in Ba Sing Se for?" He asked.

"My mother and I couldn't afford to live in our home."

"You were in the upper ring though. If you couldn't live in your old home because of finances, you wouldn't be able to live in the upper ring."

I was stuck. I didn't want to tell him. It's not that I care what he thinks, but I did care at the same time.

"Well, I um, my mother, when we were on the ferry, well-"

"Zuko? Come out, come out where ever you are!" A feminine voice said.

"No. No, no ,no. I need to leave, but I'll be back tomorrow."

Zuko swiftly stood up and moved to the other side of the infirmary in five giant steps.

He then disappeared into the darkness. He will be back tomorrow? He wants to see me again? I shook my head in disbelief.

"Hello! I'm looking for Zuko? Have you seen him?"

I looked up to see a beautiful girl standing in front of me. She wore all pink, with her flat stomach showing.

"Sorry?" I said feeling very self conscious. "Who?"

"Zuko. You know, the Fire Nation Prince."

"I'm sorry. If I had, I wouldn't have known." I responded, praying she couldn't see through my lie.

"Oh well, I'll find him sooner or later. If someone named Zuko comes by, tell him that Azula wants to talk to him."

"I will."

She nodded, pleased. She then turned around and sprinted off into the night. I gave a deep sigh, relieved that she was gone. Even though my body was tired, I was slightly happy I worked the night shift. Now that I'm alone, my thoughts can continue. I thought about where my mother could be, what has become of my husband, and what I can do to help in this war. Even though the details didn't bother me before, they did now. Why is it the the only thing I can remember is that my husband cared for me. For some reason, the feeling of "something more" came over me. There has to be more to my story. I was going to go crazy if I kept thinking of these things. Giving a large yawn, I saw that the sun peeping over the eastern wall. I made it.

"Well, well, well. I see you didn't fall asleep, and no one has complained. You did a good job. There is a tent behind the bath house and there is food and a makeshift bed inside. Get something to eat then get your rest." The Doctor said as he walked in between the rows of cots.

"Thank you." I said earnestly.

"I expect to see you here by nightfall." He added as I walked away.

I entered the tent, grabbed a roll off a tray of food and rolled into bed. It was the most comfortable bed I had ever been in. Without even lifting the roll to my lips, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

AN: I'll update soon if you review!


	5. Chapter 5

"Song? Song? What are you doing!?! Get away from that candle! You will burn yourself." My mother had said to me.

"Isn't it fascinating? Fire, I mean. Look at it mom!" I responded.

Fire, was amazing to me. It kept us warm at night, gave us light, and burned anything you didn't want anymore. I secretly wished I could firebend.

"Fire is deceitful. It comforts you, makes you feel nice and warm, but it's not friendly. It will turn on you when you least expect it. Now, come. Wash up for dinner. Your father is hungry."

"Okay."

I then jumped off my seat by the candle, ran outside to our well, pulled up a bucket of water and lathered the soap in my hands. As I was rinsing off, a small bird flew in and landed right next to me. Standing very still, I slowly scooted towards it. The pretty bird took it's drink of water and fluttered off into the forest.

"Wait!" I called after it. "Let me get you some bread!"

He didn't come back, so I took off after him. I looked all over the place for him, but he was gone. He had flown away from me. My feelings were hurt, so I ran back home. Raised voices caught my attention, so I crouched down by the well to see what was happening. There were three men talking to my parents in our doorway .

"By order of the Fire Lord. You have no choice in the matter. If you choose to stay behind, we will lock you and your family inside and burn down your home." One said.

"Please, no. I'll come with you." That was my father's voice.

One man moved to the right and I could see my father walk outside. No! They can't take him! I decided then and there that I was the only one who could save him. I waited for them to march my father past the well, then I sprang out and jumped on one of the men. He must have been scared, because he threw me against the well and set my dress on fire. I heard my mother scream, and my father yelled my name. My body was paralyzed with fear. Fire, my favorite element, was consuming me. My mother ran to me, weeping. She grabbed the bucket, still full of soapy water, and threw it on my dress. She hugged me and kissed my forehead, but I was in shock. I didn't understand why this was happening. I looked up to see my father, but he was gone.

I woke up in a cold sweat. My dreams haven't been that vivid since the day my father was taken from me. I looked at the opening of my tent and saw that it was evening. My stomach growled at me. I stood up and walked across to the other side of the tent and sat down in front of the food tray. Taking an apple, I thought of what my dream could have meant. Maybe it meant that I'm not suppose to be talking to Zuko. Or that he may seem friendly, like fire, but he will turn on me. I shook my head at the thought of it. No, not Zuko. He may be angry most of the time, but he seems loyal. Am I the only person who can relate to his hurting heart? Probably not. There are tons of men, women and children who have lost loved ones because of this war. I shook my head again, trying to get rid of my unpleasant thoughts. I stood up, stretched my arms and gave a big yawn. My hair was a mess, so I untied the torn piece of cloth, and remade my bun. When I felt like I was ready, I left my tent and walked to the infirmary.

"Aren't you a little early?" Guan inquired when I stepped inside.

"Yes, but I couldn't sleep any longer. I have no where else to go."

"Alright then. We have a couple new patience. They were both hurt on the training grounds. I am expecting you to watch over them. Whatever they need, you get it."

He led me to a couple of men, both asleep in their cots. One man's arm was bandaged, but I could see that he had a long, deep cut to his forearm. He also had a cloth tied around his head. The other man had a small read dot on his neck, but other wise seemed fine.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked, taking a close look at his neck.

"One of the Princess' friends knows pressure points. He hasn't been here for very long, but he can't move at all. So any way, you know where the herbs are at, so there is no for me to be here any longer. I'll see you in the morning, Song."

The night was quiet and cold. I shivered and wondered if Zuko was coming. He came walking out of the palace doors as soon as I finished my thought. I stood up to greet him at the front of the infirmary.

"You came." Was all I could think to say.

"Yes I did."

We stood there for a moment, looking anywhere but each other.

"Come in. I want to know how you headache is." I said, breaking the awkward silence.

I led him to a couple of empty cots. I sat down on one and tucked my feet underneath me. He sat down on the other with a plop.

"So," I began. "How is your head?"

"It's okay."

I could tell he was lying, I could see that it must be throbbing. He didn't seem to want to talk about his head, so I tried something different.

"The girl that was calling for you, she wanted me to tell you that Azula wanted to talk to you."

"I know. I'm trying to convince her to leave the city. If she does, I can restore Ba Sing Se and give it back to the Earth King. It's been my plan from the very beginning."

"Oh." I said, trying to sound like it was nothing.

Something in the way he said it made it sound suspicious. I looked at the ground, finally realizing how uncomfortable it is to talk to him again. My dream brushed by my thoughts, taunting me. _It's only a coincidence. _I looked up again at the sound of him clearing his throat.

"I, uh," He said, shifting in his seat. "I got this for you."

He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a yellow ribbon. All of my feelings about him being like fire, vanished.

"I saw that you are using a piece of torn cloth, and um, well, ya. If you don't want it, that's okay I just-"

"I love it." I whispered. "I never had a new ribbon before." _From someone I cared for anyway. _I added silently.

I tenderly took it from his hand, and held it in mine. My heart pounded as I took down my hair and used the ribbon to tie it back up.

"How does it look?"

"It looks really good on you."

"Thank you."

From that point on we talked and talked. He sat there with me until the sky started to turn pink. He would leave before Guan came, but not before promising to return tomorrow. We kept that same routine for the next week. I told him about herbs, how I wanted to learn more about everything, and childhood memories. He would tell me about living in a palace, learning how to firebend, and his many adventures. We would laugh, play games, and talk like there was no tomorrow. . I know that I never had any friends, and I'm pretty sure he didn't have any. We were comfortable around each other. We had become, well best friends.


	6. Chapter 6

"I want to show you something." Zuko said.

We were in the infirmary, like always, and I had just finished telling him about the poor quality of the herbs.

"Okay. What is it?"

"Close your eyes."

I closed my eyes and felt him gently take both of my hands in his. I instantly started asking myself questions. _Are my palms sweaty? Do I look weird when my eyes are closed?_

"Where are you taking me? I don't want to get in trouble if we are going very far."

"Don't worry, your with me." He said while leading me outside.

"What is it? Why won't you just tell me?"

He refused to say any more, so I put an end to my questions. We walked a ways, before stopping about a minute later.

"We are here. Don't open your eyes until I say so. Okay?"

"Alright."

My stomach lurched when he let go. It felt right to have his hands holding mine. I could here him moving around, but I couldn't hear what he was doing.

"Okay. Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes to see the most beautiful garden. There were flowers of every kind. A smooth path lit with torches led the way through the garden. In the back, I could see a maze.

"It's beautiful." I said, breathless.

My heart started pounding when he took my hand again.

"I thought you might like to see something different."

"I do, I mean, I love it."

"Come on, lets go for a walk."

I nodded in response. My stomach was doing cartwheels, and this time I was sure my palms were starting to sweat. I tried to enjoy the flowers, but my thoughts evaded. _He is so sweet! I can't believe he did this for me. _My whole body started tingling.

_What is wrong with me! _My other half argued. _This wasn't for me, it's the Earth King's garden. _I frowned, wishing it wasn't true. Looking up at him, I saw something more than a close friend. My heart started thumping, and something must have happened to my sight, because anywhere I looked, all I could see was Zuko. _I see him as more than a close friend. _It was then that I recognized my true feelings for him. At that moment, my soul seemed to have left my body and was soaring over Ba Sing Se. _He is closer to me than anyone._ Somewhere, in my past I had fallen in love with him. It was something I wanted for a long time.

"_The one thing I wanted, I can never have." _My own words, thoes horrible words, came back to haunt me. Memories of the ferry, my home and my husband came flooding back. I started having trouble breathing, and my eyes were stinging. _No. Please, no. _My soul came crashing down, falling fast. Despair, grabbed hold of my heart and refused to let go.I had totally forgotten that I was married. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but my thoughts were consumed with Zuko.

All of a sudden he stopped, and I looked to see why. We were at the end of the path. There was a stone bench made for two. He sat down and motioned for me to do the same. I stood there, wringing my hands, not knowing what to do. I refused to let myself live in a dream.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

He stood up to stand beside me.

"Are you cold? Did you hurt yourself?"

His concern was too much.

"Zuko, sit down." I commanded.

"What did I do?" He asked as he sat.

"You didn't do anything. It was me. I mean it's what I didn't do, or tell you."

"What?"

"I haven't told you a very big part of my life. And I think it's important you should know."

Every word that left my lips, brought me closer and closer to telling him. I wanted nothing more than to just disappear.

"Okay. What is it?"

He made it sound like an easy thing to say.

"I-I'm um… I'm married."

I didn't want to look, but I had to. His golden eyes stared at me. No emotion was showing on his handsome face. He swallowed, lifted his chin, then stood back up.

"What?" He whispered.

It wasn't a question, so I didn't answer. The way he was looking at me made me scared.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell-"

"Don't worry about it. You didn't want to tell me before."

"I know you must hate me."

"No, you did nothing wrong. We are friends, right? Friends are understanding."

As horrible as it may seem, I didn't want him to be understanding. I wanted him to get mad, tell me that I'm his, something to show that he has feelings for me. My heart was breaking.

"Right. Friends are understanding." I said echoing him.

The next night he started teaching me non-bending self-defense tips. I asked why and he just said it was something different.

"Now when he comes at you with a knife, you…."

"Run away screaming." I finished.

"No, you-"

"Why are you so adamant that I learn self-defense?" I said playfully.

"Well, I want you to be prepared. I don't want you to get hurt."

I looked at him closely. He looked like a heavy weight was placed on his shoulders, a secret that needs to be told. My chest tightened, knowing something was wrong.

"Your keeping something from me. What is it?" I whispered.

He looked at the ground and shook his head.

"Tell me. Please." I said desperately.

I grabbed and squeezed his hand to show how important this was to me. Thoughts, horrible thoughts, entered my mind. My mother, did something happen to her? He knows what she looks like, maybe there was a fight in the dungeons, and she was hurt. Or even killed?

"Song, I made a mistake. A big mistake."

"What?"

"I lied to you. I need to tell you the truth." He paced through the rows of cots before continuing. "As you know, I am a banished prince. The Fire Lord said that I can only come home if I captured the Avatar. I chased him all over the world. I later figured out that it wasn't worth it, that the Avatar is here to restore peace. That I was only getting in the way. When I came to Ba Sing Se, I lived with my uncle in the lower ring. An illness took over me. My uncle said that I was having a spiritual battle. When I felt better, I promised myself that I would start a new life. No more chasing the Avatar. Well, you see, Azula came into Ba Sing Se and asked if I wanted my honor restored. The thing is, I had to betray my uncle, and myself. If I had not done what I did, Ba Sing Se would be safe. You, would be safe."

I was speechless. What was I going to say?

"I-I'm glad that you trust me enough to confide in me."

"To be completely honest, if I hadn't seen you again, I'd still be on Azula's side."

"What?"

"Well, when I saw you, I remembered our first conversation, and that reminded me of my promise, of the life I lived before Azula came back."

"What are you going to do?"

He shook his head and sat down on an empty cot.

"I don't know."

AN: It was a challenge to write this chapter. If you have any suggestions or comments on what I could do in future chapters, please let me know.


	7. Chapter 7

The next night, we went back out to our garden. It was a quiet night, a full moon in the sky. Zuko let out a deep breath and sat down on the grass. I sat down next to him, not caring if my dress got wet.

"You know what?" He said as he fixed his golden eyes on me.

"What?"

"I don't understand how your husband couldn't see how wonderful you are."

"How would you know?" I asked, taken aback.

"Know what? How wonderful you are? Or that your husband couldn't see it?"

"How would you know that my husband doesn't see what you see?"

"Ah ha! So that confirms it! If he didn't marry you for being amazing, then what did he marry you for?" He inquired.

Zuko stood up and paced back and forth. He looked like someone who was investigating a terrible crime.

"My beauty." I replied simply.

What was he going on about? I knew he was just playing, but it still made my heart jump.

"What man wouldn't like you for your beauty?" He said . "That is be side the point. The point is.. It's that you are amazing. You are easy to talk to, you don't go on and on about your hair, or your makeup. You understand pain and you don't pretend that something is alright when it's not. You are kind and selfless and, well to be completely sincere, you are the perfect woman."

He stopped pacing and came to sit next to me. I tried not to take what he said to heart, but it wedged itself in there. To deflect any more playful bantering on his behalf, I stood up and started walking towards the maze.

"I wonder how easy it is to get lost in this maze? Will you come and get me if I call?"

"I will do you one better, I will come with you." He said as he approached me.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, it wouldn't look right if we were caught."

"Song, we are friends playing in a maze-"

"At night." I pointed out.

He continued as if I hadn't said anything. "and besides, 'caught' is a word for when someone is doing something bad. I think I made my point quiet clear."

"Yes you did. Now, it's time for me to make mine."

I turned around and ran as fast as I could in to the maze. I went left then right then I turned to the, um… Great. I was lost. At least I was able to achieve one goal, losing Zuko. I couldn't see anything. All the torches were back on the path. I refused to call for him though, I didn't want to look like a fool. All of a sudden, he laid his hand on my arm. I nearly jumped out of my skin. He was breathing hard, probably from trying to keep up.

"You scared me!" I said as I turned around.

Who I saw was not Zuko. It was my husband.

"Song?" He mumbled.

I could smell alcohol on his breath.

"Where have you been?!?" He slurred. " Not that it really matters, I have no use for you anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

"I used you to get into Ba Sing Se."

"But you're a general, why wouldn't they let you in?"

"Because I am not a general. I am an admiral. A Fire Nation admiral. You see, if I had a wife, I was less suspicious." A horrible grin spread across his face. "So like I said before, I don't need you anymore."

He took the back of his hand and smacked me across the face. Hard. It was then that I realized he was going to kill me.

"Please! Don't! I swear I won't tell anyone!"

Smack, another hit.

"I don't think so. You have become to much of a burden." He replied.

"Please no!" I pleaded.

My head was spinning, and I'm sure my lip was bleeding. He grabbed the front of my dress and pulled me up close to his face. I tried to pry his fingers off, but he wasn't moving. Horror seized my every nerve. _My husband is going to kill me_. That thought repeated itself about a hundred timed in about four seconds. For some reason though, it made me angry.

My courage broke through my fear. "Let go of me! Your nothing but a stupid drunk."

He then threw me on the ground. I landed wrong on my ankle and heard a sickening crack. I let out a cry as pain shot threw my leg. He smacked me again, telling me to shut up.

"Song!" I heard Zuko's voice from the other side of the maze.

"WHO IS THAT!!" My husband roared.

"P-Prince Z-Zuko. He's-"

"Prince Zuko?!?" The tone of his voice was deadly. His face became hard. "You have been spending time with Zuko?"

"No! I-"

I was cut off by the sound of yelling. A huge fire ball burst through the wall of the maze. I peered through the flames to see a silhouette of Zuko standing there. Gratefulness washed over me._ I'm not going to die._ He took one look at me and set another bush on fire, without looking at it.

"Hello Zuko. It's nice to see you again." My husband purred.

Zuko squinted through the flames at my husband. "Zhao! Why are you alive?"

"I wonder the same about you." My husband responded coolly.

A moment ago my husband was a slurring drunk. Now he seemed as though the whole world was his. Zuko glanced briefly at me, but Zhao noticed.

"Ah. I see. You have feelings for my wife. This day keeps getting better and better."

"You leave her alone. I'll kill you if you touch her one more time."

"Oh, but dear Zuko, she's my wife. I can touch her all I want."

He bent down and pulled my skirt up, exposing my scarred leg. I tried to hit him, but he easily deflected it. Without missing a beat, Zuko threw a fireball at him. The force of the blow threw Zhao back.

Zuko ran past him and crouched down next to me.

"Don't worry Song, I'll take care of you." He said tenderly.

He scooped me up in his arms faster than I thought possible. Automatically, I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Is this okay?" He asked.

I gave him a weak smile and nodded in response. My energy had drained out of me. I then laid my head on his chest, and felt his beating heart. My head was spinning, and my eyes watery, but at that moment I felt like I was home.

"Prince Zuko! Where are you taking my wife?"

My husband stepped in front of us. Zuko held me close, trying to protect me.

"Zhao, she's hurt, and this isn't her fight."

"You made my job a whole lot easier. Now I can kill both of you at the same time."

Zuko set me down and stood in a fighting stance in front of me. Zhao shot fire out of his fingertips like arrows towards us. It was like my night mare all over again. My blood pounded through my veins. Zuko made a huge shield of fire in front of us, absorbing Zhao's flaming arrows.

"Come on! Is that the best you have?" My husband taunted.

Zuko held his shield and started walking forward, pushing him back.

Zhao was running out of room, so he jumped high into the air using fire to propel him higher. The sudden motion broke Zuko's concentration, and the shield disappeared. My husband landed right in front of me, facing Zuko. A sudden idea came to mind and I pulled myself up on my good leg and hobbled towards him.

"You leave her alone!"

"I will, once you are out of the picture."

My heart pounded with every step that brought me closer to him. Recalling the one man in the infirmary, I looked for the spot on Zhao's neck. There it is. I just hope it works. Taking my forefinger, I jabbed it down hard on his pressure point. For a moment, it looked like it didn't work. My husband tettered then fell forward, landing on his face. He yelled and cursed me, vowed that he will kill us, but he didn't get back up. Seeing that it had worked, I smiled at myself. Zuko ran to me, and picked me up, holding me in his arms again. He carried me back to the infirmary as fast as he could. He gently laid me down on a cot.

"I don't think you are going anywhere soon, but stay here. I'll be right back with the Doctor."

He then stood up, and ran outside. I had been smacked so many times, I could feel myself loosing consciousness. My head, oh it hurt. I raised my hand to feel my forehead, and I felt a fever. _That can't be good. _My mind started drifting, I couldn't think. I made an attempt to call out, but it was useless. My eyes slowly closed as I let myself lose consciousness.

AN: Well, I hope you liked it. This was a fun chapter to write. I'm not very good at writing action scenes, but oh well.


	8. Chapter 8

When I woke up, I found myself in a large bed. I looked around to see where I was. Sunlight peeped through the heavy curtains to my right. _It's daylight. I wonder how long I slept_. I felt someone stir next to me. Turning to my left, I saw Zuko. He was sitting in a chair next to my bed, with his chest, head and arms laying next to me. One arm was extended to me, his hand holding mine. The other was tucked neatly underneath his chest. He yawned and opened his eyes.

"Song! You're awake!"

"I am?" I enquired teasingly.

"Well, yes. I haven't seen you awake in a while though."

That worried me.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Three days, four nights. Well, if you include the night this happened." He shook his head before continuing. "I was afraid that… The Doctor took one look at you and said that it would be a miracle if you lived. I missed you so much, I missed talking to you. There is so much I have to tell you."

"What happened?"

"After I left you with the doctor, I went back to the maze to find your Zhao. When I arrived at the garden, the whole place was on fire. I couldn't stay long, the heat was too much. I-I had to leave. I tried to find him, Song. But the fire-"

"You think my husband's dead?"

My words must have hurt because he flinched.

"Yes. There is no way he could've gotten out."

"It wasn't your fault. You tried to find him."

"It was my fault though. I was the one that lit the maze on fire. Even if he hadn't died, I would've killed him myself. That's why I went back. After what he did to you, I was blind with rage. I thought I had lost you that night."

He blushed at his confession. Neither one of us said anything for a while. Even though my husband was a horrible man, I felt some what sad. I also felt relieved. It sounds bad, but I couldn't help myself think, _I'm free. _

"What else has happened?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"After the fire was put out, I went to talk with my uncle. I knew I could talk with him. I told him everything and even apologized to him for what I did. I then asked for his help. He said he would if I was willing to work with an enemy. I said that I was. Then all of a sudden, the Avatar and his friends surrounded me. They had apparently came back to overthrow Azula. We made a brilliant plan, but we were never able to use it. Azula and all of those loyal to the Fire Nation, were gone. We searched the city, but they all left. The Avatar looked for a ship leaving the bay, and saw it. My sister was running back to the Fire Nation.."

I shook my head and frowned,

"That doesn't sound right. Why would someone who has the most powerful city under her command, just leave."

"It doesn't make sense, that's why we're preparing for a great battle."

"Here? At Ba Sing Se?"

"Yes. We are sending messengers to every village, asking for anyone they can spare. We also want them to be prepared, to be ready to defend their own village. We're going to evacuate all the women and children. Half of them are going out today. All of you will be going to Kioshi Island."

I threw my covers off and stood up to show him I meant business.

"What do you mean ' All of you.'? I'm staying right here, with you."

He bolted out of his chair to meet my challenge. He towered over me, forcing me to crane my neck to look him in the face.

"No you are not. You will go with the other women."

He crossed his arms, which forced me to take a step back. As I stepped back, my heel caught on the rug, causing me to lose my balance. Zuko grabbed my waist to steady me.

"I'm staying right here!" I insisted.

He pulled me closer, his grip tight around me. I tried to pull away, but he had an advantage over me.

"Song, you will go. You will be safe, and I will see you afterward." He said quietly, his features softening.

"Please," I begged. "Don't make me go. I can help by being a nurse."

"We have plenty of nurses."

"One more can't hurt." I said hopefully.

"Damn it Song! Don't you get it?" He yelled as he detached himself from me.

Blowing a ring of smoke out of his nose, he paced the floor and flexed his arms in frustration. I was scared. No one this close to me has sworn at me before. My palms started sweating and my heart was thumping so loud that I knew he could hear it. He gave a short huff before turning to face me. I held my breath.

"I thought I lost you once." He sounded tired and defeated. "It killed me. I couldn't bear to lose you again."

"You never lost me to begin with." I said in a quavering voice.

I was close to tears. Not knowing what was to happen to us, frightened me. He is my closest friend, the only person I have right now. To be parted from him would be unbearable.

"Song please. You are making thing a lot harder for me than they have to." Zuko said as he wrapped his arms around me again. "I care about you. More than anyone. You are my closest friend." He looked down into my eyes before continuing. "Even though I knew you were married, I-I wanted your love."

I looked deep into his eyes. They were shining and he was smiling the most dazzling smile. My heart felt like it was going to burst. _He wanted my love! _He then bent down and pressed his cheek to mine.

"Song, I love you, and always will." He whispered.

"Oh Zuko! I love you too!" I whispered back.

His arms tightened around me, pressing us close together. I threw my arms around his neck and held him lovingly. He pulled his head back to look at me.

"Would it be okay if I kissed you?" He asked, already bending down.

I thought he would kiss me before I answered, but he stopped. Our lips just inches away. Having him so close made it hard to breath. I knew how intimate we were being, and my heart stopped for a moment. This is what I wanted. My heart fluttered then started working again when he raised his hand and tugged my yellow ribbon loose. With my hair now down, he ran his fingers through it. Goose bumps popped up all over my body.

"Yes." I whispered, the suspension unbearable.

He then closed the small gap between us. I closed my eyes, savoring it all. His lips were soft and warm against mine. It was the perfect moment. It was our moment.

**AN: Okay, okay. It was a little fluffy. Please review!!!!**


	9. Chapter 9

"My ankle looks horrible." I commented.

It had been fifteen minuets since we had first kissed. We were sitting at a small tea table in the far corner of the room.

"Your looks fine," He countered. "If I hadn't known better, I wouldn't have even noticed."

I looked at the rock cast that surrounded my left ankle. A doctor must have reset it and then had an earthbender bend rock around it to keep it from moving. I knew Zuko was lying, the thing was huge. Despite his lying, I smiled. _He is so sweet._ My smile faded at a new idea. No matter how sweet it is, he was still dishonest.

I looked down at my hands and quietly said, "Don't lie to me."

He started to deny it, but stopped. "I'm sorry." He mumbled.

"Just don't do it again." Was all I said.

After that, he turned our conversation over to the subject of Ba Sing Se. A quiet knock at the door interrupted us, but Zuko didn't seem to mind.

"Come in." He said.

A small maid entered, her head bowed low.

"Sir, we were able to find her." She said meekly.

"Excellent!" He said. "Where is she?" He jumped out of his seat and ran to my side. "Come, I want you to meet someone."

He was so excited about this other girl, I felt jealous. Instead of saying what I felt, I just smiled. He took my arm and wrapped it around my shoulders. With the maid leading the way, we found ourselves outside a large door.

"She's in there." The maid said, then bowed and left.

"Who are we seeing?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"You'll know who when you see her." He answered as he pushed the huge door open.

It swung inward, creaking slightly. A silhouette of someone was sitting next to the window met my sight. I squinted, trying to see who this person was but it was the sound of her voice that made me recognize her.

"Song?" She said. That's all she had to say.

"Mother!" I exclaimed.

Zuko still had his arm around me when I ran towards her. Pulling him with me, I greeted her with a tight hug.

"We have so much to talk about!" She said as she kissed me on the forehead.

"Yes, we do." I replied.

Zuko looked a little uncomfortable as he cleared his throat and said, "I'll leave the two of you alone."

"No. Don't leave," My mother begged. "How can I repay you for reuniting us?"

"There's no need to." He countered. "The happiness on you daughter's face was enough for me."

My skin prickled from the sudden warmth that spread through my body.

"Song?" My mother questioned. "Are you alright? You look a little flushed. You're not coming down with a fever, are you?" Without waiting for an answer, she took the back of her hand and pressed it against my forehead.

"I'm fine." I answered as I pulled away from her touch.

"Alright then." Smiling at me she gave a sigh and said, " Now that I know that you are safe, I can leave without worry."

"What?!?" I practically yelled.

Stunned at my outburst, my mother just looked at me for a minuet. "Oh, don't you know what's going on?"

"I know about the Fire Nation and the battle the men of Ba Sing Se are preparing for."

"Then you would also know that all the women and children are to leave the city. I am going out on the ferry today."

"What?" I asked for the seconded time in a minuet. "If you're going out today, then so am I."

"No Song. The ferry I'm going on completely full." She replied, taking on her motherly tone.

"But we have to talk and-"

"We will have plenty of time to talk in a few days."

"Can you at least stay for a cup of tea?" I asked, my hope rising. I wanted more than anything for her to accept.

Slowly, she shook her head. The feeling of depression bubbled in the pit of my stomach.

"I'm sorry. I need to be at the lower ring in an hour. If I was to stay, you and I both know that I would be here for longer than that."

"I shall escort you then." I replied, determined to go no matter what she said.

Seeing my determination, my mother smiled then said, "I think that would be lovely. But," Her face changed, showing the feeling of awkwardness. " I think you should change into something more suitable first."

Looking down at myself, I saw that I was only dressed in my nightdress, robe and slippers. I pulled my robe tighter around me and nodded in agreement.

"Come on Song," Zuko said as he put his arm around my shoulders. "I'll walk you back to your room."

As we turned to leave, the sound of my mother's voice carried after us.

"I'll be right here when you return."

We walked down the hall to my room in silence. Zuko opened the door and walked me inside.

Sitting me down on the bed he said, "I have an errand to run. But I'll have someone else walk with you and your mother to the lower ring. They will be waiting for you outside your door."

"Your leaving me?" I blurted out.

He grinned, and answered, "Only for now. I'll be here when you get back."

Not waiting for another question, he slipped out of my room. _Where could he be going? _I wondered. _It's none of my business. _My other half countered.

"Will you please be quiet." I whispered to my inner voices.

Realizing what I just did, I laughed out loud. It sounded more like a bark than anything else. _You should probably get changed_. One of the voices said.

Removing my nightdress was excruciating. It took me longer than I thought it would. By the time I had put on my slip, leggings and dress, I wondered if my mother would leave. As I stumbled out of my room, a hand reached out to give me support.

"You wouldn't want to fall Miss. Song." A familiar voice said.

Looking up at the person who had addressed me, I saw that it was Iroh.

"Iroh!" I exclaimed.

He gave a hearty laugh and said, "I am to accompany you to the lower ring with your mother."

Without saying anymore, he took my arm and laced it through his. We started walking down the long corridor to the room that held my mother.

AN: Okay, I know that none of you reviewed last time, sniffs but please let me know what you think. Pleeease.


	10. Chapter 10

We received her and walked her down to the lower ring. After a tearful goodbye, Iroh and I walked back to the palace.

"Your mother is a very beautiful and compassionate woman. You are much like her." Iroh said after a while.

"Thank you. Your words are very kind." I said, truly meaning it.

He continued though, as if I hadn't said anything. "My nephew seems to think so, too."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye, to gage my reaction. Instinctively, I smiled and looked at the sky.

"Ahh," He said, apparently coming to a conclusion. "It seems that you feel the same. You know, Zuko speaks very highly of you."

"He does?" I replied automatically. My heart was beating rapidly.

Giving a small chuckle, Iroh replied, "I have never heard my nephew talk so much in his life." His mood then suddenly changed from cheery to serious. "He needs someone in his life who is forgiving. Who's not going to put up with his bad temper, and who's kindness will eventually warm his heart. So far, Miss. Song, I have seen all of these qualities, and more, in you. My nephew cares for you. Very much so. I can see that you feel the same. He has had more than his fare share of damage from this awful war. From what I have heard previously, so have you."

He knew a lot about me. Granted, I had told him about my arrival into Ba Sing Se, but was it that obvious that I loved Zuko? After our confessions, Zuko and I decided to have our new found love hidden for now. We thought that it would make things easier. Part of me felt violated, but it also felt nice to have someone share our secret.

"I, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Just tell me, how was it to have Zhao as a husband?"

I laughed. It was wrong, but I couldn't help myself.

"Why? Were you interested in having him as yours?"

Iroh chuckled, and said, "It depends. How much tea do you get?"

We both laughed and started in on a more serious conversation about my late husband. It was still hard for me to accept that he's dead.

By the time we returned to the palace, it was past midday.

"Song!" A handsome young man came striding up to Iroh and I. "What took you so long?"

Gesturing to the old Fire Nation general, I replied, "We were just talking. I guess we lost track of time."

He frowned and turned to his uncle. "What were you talking about?"

Avoiding Zuko's gaze, Iroh turned to me and said, "I believe it is for Miss. Song and I to know and for you to find out later in life."

My prince turned and fixed me with a curious look. I didn't want to let Zuko know what we were talking about just yet. Apparently, he understood because he turned to his uncle and said, "I will escort her back to her room."

"Very well," Iroh replied then turned to me. "It was a very enjoyable walk. I hope we will be able to do it again."

"I would like that." I replied.

Iroh gave a slight nod, and turned to a nearby servant. "Excuse me? Can I have you bring me some jasmine leaves and water?"

"Come on." A deep voice said above me.

I turned around and saw Zuko standing there with the crook of his arm bent towards me. I took his arm and we headed off to my room.

"You know, the Avatar is staying here, right?" He said as we entered my room. He sounded nervous for some reason.

"Yes." I replied cautiously. For some reason, I didn't think this was going to be good, so I turned around and started packing my bag. Zuko remained standing in the doorway.

"He, um wants to have all of the generals and important people to have dinner with him tonight."

"Oh." I said. _He's not going to be able to spend time with me. _It was a selfish thought, but I couldn't help it. My heart physically sank deeper into my chest.

"I was uh, wondering," He continued. "Do you want to come with me?"

I turned around and locked eyes with him. He started in again, his words tumbling over each other. "Iroh will be there too. But you don't have to come if you don't want to."

Smiling, I replied, "What should I wear?"

We entered the huge dining hall a few minuets before dinner. There was a long table with chairs that lined both sides. Other people were standing around, talking to each other. Zuko pulled out one of the chairs and offered it to me. Gratefully, I sat down. My cast was so heavy, it was like dragging a heavy chain.

As Zuko sat down to my left, he whispered, "Thank you for coming. Believe it or not, I am not very good at conversing."

I looked at him and murmured, "Really?" He smiled and kissed me lightly on the forehead. I blushed like crazy.

"Zuko! What are you doing? I thought that we were going to be quiet about this." I scolded. Though it may have looked like I was angry, I wasn't.

"I'm sorry. It's just your so beautiful…."

"Hello nephew!" A loud voice said. We both jumped, and looked up at the owner of the voice. He chuckled and asked, "Has this woman been distracting you?"

He sat down on the chair to my right. It groaned under his weight. I looked up to see men and women fallowing Iroh's example. The group was rather small and only filled up about a quarter of the long table.

A boy at the end of the table stood on his chair and said, "Thank you for coming. I know it's different to hold a meeting over dinner, but I couldn't stand to be in that war room for so long."

The boy was still talking when I looked at Zuko and whispered furiously, "A meeting? About the war? I thought this was just dinner."

He leaned towards me and said, "I thought you might have some good ideas."

"What made you think that?" I said, my tone slightly rising.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

I didn't reply. _How could he just trick me into this?_ He knew that I'd stay. The boy must have stopped talking because the food was being served. Talk about the war floated all around me.

"We could get a small group of warriors and try and find Azula, and capture her.." One voice said.

"That would be like committing suicide." Another voice replied.

I picked at my food, not feeling very hungry.

"I'm sorry. I thought you might want to know what was going on. I didn't think you would be angry." Zuko's voice drifted towards me.

"It's okay." I said as I looked up at him. "You were trying to do the right thing. I'm sorry I became angry. I was scared, pat of me doesn't want to know what's going on. But, I think it would be best if I did know."

Under the table, he reached over and squeezed my hand. "You are the most remarkable woman I have ever encountered."

"Hey!" A woman shrieked. She pointed at me and said, "You! You're the wife of that trader! What are you doing here?!? She's a spy!!"

My heart pounded. Terror seized me.

"You are!" Another woman said. "You are the weird one. I knew I didn't like you for a reason."

I shook my head and said, "No! I-"

"Guards!" A man yelled. "Arrest that woman!"

AN: Ahhh!


	11. Chapter 11

As the guards came running towards me, Zuko stood up and held fire daggers in each hand. Men and women gasped at the sight.

"Stay behind me." He yelled over his shoulder.

"WAIT!!!" A loud voice boomed.

All heads turned to look at the small boy at the end of the table.

He looked at Zuko and asked, "What is going on?"

Zuko let his flaming daggers die. He pointed at me and said, "They are accusing her of being a spy!"

My breathing was rapid, and my head started hurting.

The boy looked at me for a moment. His eyes have a piercing gray color. The guards nearby started to get restless.

Finally, the boy shook his head and said, "Take her to my meeting room. I will be there shortly."

"But she's not a trader!!" Zuko yelled across the table. "Uncle, will you please say something?"

Iroh calmly sipped his tea and replied, "Nephew, it is the Avatar's decision. He must learn how to deal with these things."

"Zuko," I whispered. "Please. I'll go with them. If he didn't believe you, he would have ordered me into a prison cell."

He turned around and looked at me. "Fine. But I'm coming too."

"No you won't." The boy said, apparently listening in on our conversation. "It won't be long Zuko. I'll have her back and in a few minuets."

The guards then took me by the arms and led me out into a small room. The boy followed close by.

"Soo," He started. "Who are you?"

"I'm Song." I wasn't ready to give this boy all of my information.

"Right! Your Zhao's wife. Are you a spy?"

"No." I replied. "Wait, how do you know I was his wife?"

"I'm the Avatar. I know everything." He laughed and said, "Well, almost everything."

"If you knew who I was, why did you want to talk to me?"

"I wanted to see if you were telling the truth."

All of a sudden, a hole appeared in the floor and a girl popped out. Shaking the dust out of her hair, she said, "She's telling the truth. She isn't a spy, but her heart sped up quiet a bit when you said 'Zhao'."

"Can I leave now?" This was becoming to be too much for me.

"Not without an introduction." The boy said. "I'm Aang, the Avatar . This is Toph, my earthbending teacher. I know that you have your secrets, as do we all, but why did your heart speed up when you heard your husband's name?"

"I, um…" I didn't know how to answer his question, so I told him the truth. "He tried to kill me."

"What?!? How could someone do that to their wife?"

"I don't know." Part of me was ashamed. _Was I that bad of a wife? _So bad, that he would want to kill me. I knew it wasn't true, but it still hurt. "Can I please go back to my room?"

Aang nodded, and looked at his teacher. Without waiting for him to chance his mind, I hobbled out. _Curse this cast. _It weighed me down so much, that it took me twice as long to get back to my room. I became so tired, at one point I had to stop to gather my strength. When I finally arrived, Zuko was waiting for me outside of my door.

"Here, let me help." He said as he put his arm around me.

We entered my room and sat down at my table.

"I am so sorry. I didn't think that you would be recognized. Well I mean, I didn't think someone would accuse you of being a spy."

"It's not your fault." I replied. I was still distracted with the thought of my husband wanting to kill me. Was I not attentive enough? Or pretty enough? I knew he was an evil person, but it still tugged at the back of my mind.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked quietly. "Was it something the Avatar said?"

"No, it's me. I was a bad wife. He had even told me that I was worthless."

"Song, your not worthless."

"I know." I whispered.

Zuko didn't press for anything else. It became an unspoken rule that I not talk about what had happened between me and my husband in the months that we were married. It would be too awkward.

I looked up into his eyes and without thinking, raised my hand to his scar. I stopped right before I came into contact, realizing what I was about to do.

"I-I'm so sorry." I stammered as I pulled my hand away. "I wasn't think-"

"No, it's okay." He said quietly. When I didn't do anything he took my hand in his. "Really. It's okay."

I slowly raised my hand to his face. Trying to be delicate, I brushed the tips of my fingers across the rim of his scar. He slightly flinched at first, but was okay.

"Oh Zuko. I know how much this means for you." I said as I took my hand away.

"No. I don't think you do. You don't know how I got it."

"The war. You said it was because of the war."

"My father did this to me."

It was so shocking to me, I gasped.

"Zuko! How could he have done this to you?"

It was in that moment that I knew what a huge sacrifice it was to let me touch his scar.

He looked at me and replied, "I guess it's easy to hurt people you don't love."

After that we talked about the things that really mattered. He told me of his past. Of how he was banished, how he chased the avatar, everything. I was appalled, to even think that someone could go through so much. Before I knew it, I was crying for him. He held me and started crying too. In that moment, I vowed that I would be there for him. I was a nurse, and wanted to mend his broken heart.

When we finished crying, I told him of Zhao. I even told him of how I wanted my husband's love. It was the hardest thing I had ever done. 

AN: It was a little short, but the next chapter shall be out soon. Scout's honor.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: I was sooo excited to get this chap out, I couldn't wait. So enjoy.

The Next day, I packed my bags.

The women and children were to gather at the lower ring. Zuko insisted that it was too dangerous to walk to the lower ring by myself, so he came with me. We held hands as we walked at a leisurely pace. His face was emotionless, except for a small wrinkle on his forehead.

"When you get back, everything will be a lot better, you'll see."

I didn't know if he was trying to convince me or himself. So I only nodded in response, not trusting my voice. Fear had gripped my insides. _What if they lost the battle? What if it never got better? _Horrid pictures entered my mind. In one, Zuko was being beaten and taunted by the Fire Nation guards . In another, all of the innocent people of Ba Sing Se being forced into prisons, caves and holes, never to come out again. My grip on Zuko's hand tightened subconsciously. I looked ahead of us to see a huge congregation of people. _All of these women could lose their husbands, sons, brothers,… _The list continued. Tears stung at the corners of my eyes. I tried to blink them back before anyone saw, but failed miserably. Zuko pulled me into his arms and just held me for a minuet. The feel of his warm breath on my skin was a comfort.

"It will be okay." He mumbled into my hair.

Willing myself to be strong, I said, "I trust it will. Someday."

I could feel him kiss the top of my head. He pulled back and cupped my face in his hands.

"I love you so much." He said affectionately. "I don't want you to leave."

His face changed, then shook his head.

"I'm sorry Song, I shouldn't have sai-"

Before he could utter anymore, I interjected.

"Then don't make me." I begged.

"Song, please don't." He sounded like someone who was wounded. "You know that I didn't mean to say that. It just slipped out."

"I'm sorry." Giving a rather large sigh, I did my best to smile.

"We refuse to go." An angry voice declared.

Zuko an I turned to see a Water Tribe boy and girl, Toph, and the avatar, Aang.

"Katara," Aang said. "Please. I can't be in two places at once. I need you to watch over the other women."

Zuko slid his arm around my shoulder and whispered, " The Water Tribe girl is named Katara. She hasn't left the Avatar's side since they arrived. The Water Tribe boy is her moron brother. I don't know his name, but I do know that he needs to work on his fighting stance."

I giggled and said admiringly, "You would be the one to know."

He started to say something, but the sound of his voice was drowned out by the shrill sound of a whistle. Turning in the direction of the high pitched whistle, I saw a man getting on top of a box.

"Excuse me!" He yelled. "Can I please have everyone's attention!" The noise of the crowd around me died down. The man continued after clearing his throat. "All of the women and children are to board the ferry once you get to the other side of the wall. Please make a neat line in front of the-" He tried to continue, but the sound of shuffling feet defeated him. He eventually threw up his arms, a sign that he had given up.

Zuko held my hand, but I was being pushed away. Children were crying and their mothers were yelling for them to stay together. Seeing all these women and children in groups, made me realize that I was alone. Zuko's grip on my hand tightened as he pulled himself closer to me. For the first time, I realized how painful it was going to be to leave him.

"You should get in line." He yelled, trying to be heard over the roar of movement and voices around me.

"I know. I'll see you when I get back, then." I replied.

A shadow of a smile passed over his face. "Yes, you will."

He then turned around and disappeared into the crowd. My feelings hurt that he would leave so abruptly, but I understood that it would be easier that way.

Turning to the crowd, I hiked my bag further up on my shoulder and went to join the other women. My heart was breaking. Somehow, I knew that something was going to go terribly wrong. A small sob escaped my lips, so I covered my mouth to preventing it from happening again. People were pushing, shoving, and yelling at me for being in their way, but I didn't care. A hand grabbed me and spun me around. My eyes me two golden ones. He was breathing hard, as if he had been running. I tried to say something, but his mouth covered mine before I could utter a sound. His kiss was so exhilarating, I could almost feel my spirit leave my body. He pulled back, and my spirit returned.

"I forgot to say good bye." He said weakly.

For some reason I could feel a blush creep up onto my cheeks. "Oh, well good bye."

"Good bye. I'll see you when you get back, then."

"Yes, you will." I said, remembering our earlier conversation.

He nodded, apparently satisfied, then turned around and left. As I watched him leave again, I couldn't help but wonder. _Will I see him again_?

**The End.**

AN: Okay, I guess I have a little apologizing to do. I know that the summary and the title don't fit the story, and I'm really sorry. Like I told you in the begining, I didn't know where this story would take me, and I guess that I was a little off. Well, I hope you liked it, ALL reviews are welcome. Oh, and let me know if you want a sequel.


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